Piaget revisits Andy Warhol's favourite watch for an update of its Deco-inspired 'Black Tie'

Considering his love of consumer goods, it’s perhaps no surprise that Andy Warhol was a watch guy. When Sotheby’s auctioned off his estate in 1988, a year after his death, there were over 300 timepieces up for grabs – a collection that included examples by Patek Philippe, Rolex and Cartier. But horologically speaking, Warhol became synonymous with one marque, and one watch in particular: Piaget’s ‘Black Tie’. With an art deco-style 45mm cushion case, it was hefty, and yet still incredibly chic. Warhol bought his in 1973 and, over the years, collectors came to forget the watch’s name, referring to it as simply Piaget’s ‘Warhol Watch’.

Last year, as part of its 150th anniversary, and in partnership with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Piaget officially relaunched the Black Tie as the Andy Warhol Watch, rubber-stamping a five-decade-long affiliation. Warhol and Piaget were always connected, says Stéphanie Sivrière, director of the Piaget design studio for jewellery, high jewellery and watchmaking. ‘[Warhol] was working with daily objects and making art of it,’ she explains, ‘when the maison was turning a watch into a piece of jewellery.’

The collaboration continues apace, with the latest piece – the Andy Warhol Watch ‘Collage’ Limited Edition – featuring an abstract marquetry dial inspired by the artist’s Polaroid collage self-portraits. ‘I had a crush on this Polaroid series from the start,’ says Sivrière. The difficulty, she reveals, was interpreting the work in a way that felt authentic: ‘You want to attract the gaze of the Warhol fans while not disappointing and staying true to the Piaget spirit. Here, the patchwork of ornamental stones was a true challenge as each plate is cut in a specific way and patiently assembled all together.’

The Warhol Watch ‘Collage’ is limited to 50 pieces, so getting your hands on one may be tricky, but Piaget is planning on adding to the Warhol collection again soon. ‘You’ll have to stay tuned to see what we can do in the near future,’ teases Sivrière, ‘but the Andy Warhol watch is here to stay.’

Andy Warhol Watch ‘Collage’ Limited Edition, £67,500, piaget.com